Hello fellow music fans,
James your “resident music genius” mole and self proclaimed
“Christian music historian” here with my first written blog contribution. In
honor of the kick off of the Christmas music listening season, I thought it
might be fun to tell you a bit about five of my favorite Christmas albums.
Enjoy!
Bill Mallonee- “Yonder Shines The Infant Light.” This album
dropped in December 2005, as I was wrapping up my first semester of my freshman
year of College. I was able to download it from Mallonee directly the day of my
math final, and I remember feeling as if being able to listen to this album was
my reward for making it through that final. I wasn’t disappointed as this album
features nine Christmas originals penned by Mallonee, as well as his arrangements
of “Angels From The Realms Of Glory” and “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” Of
the originals “Every Father Knows,” “On To Bethlehem” and the long lost early
Vigilantes of Love outtake “Bethlehem” have drawn me to the true meaning of
Christmas every year since. Mallonee has always written songs that place the
pain of the world alongside the hope of Christ finer than any writer I know,
and that is no exception with the songs here as he speaks of God being the
Father who “knows and cares where His sons and daughters are” no matter how far
away they may have drifted. In Bethlehem ‘two world crashed in flesh and blood”
when Jesus was born and no matter how bleak our world gets and how “late on our
dues” we become and how bleak life looks, Christmas is a time we can remember
that Christ has conquered it all, when we remember and focus our thoughts ‘on
to Bethlehem.”
Various Artists- “Broken Christmas.” Gene Eugene’s small
label Broken Records actually made a Christmas album in 1988, with every artist
signed to his label contributing either there version of a Christmas classic or
a Christmas original as was the case with small Canadian band Level Heads, who
gave us “Born In A Stable” a wonderful reminder of Jesus’ humble place of
birth. Elsewhere, Riki Michele gave us her version of “The First Noel.”
Undercover do an impressive rocked up version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
Pop/punk band The Holidays give us a version of “Silent Night” that despite
being played on electric guitars, somehow holds true enough to the traditional
version to be considered awesome, while 4-4-1 give a resounding performance of
“What Child Is This?” that ranks among my all time favorite versions of that
carol. Eugene’s own band Adam Again, perform “Angels We Have Heard On High” in
a slightly cut-time version that you will have a hard time forgetting once you
hear it. Needless to say this is a Christmas album that I look forward to
putting on my iPod each Christmas season!
Mannheim Steamroller- “Christmas In The Aire.” One of the
most beloved Christmastime bands along with Tran Siberian Orchestra, this album
came out in 1995, and was one of my favorites growing up. Mannheim
Steamroller’s all instrumental versions of “Joy To The World,” “Rudolph The Red
Nosed Reindeer” and “Angels We Have Heard On High” have always been awesome and
hard to compete with. I also have enjoyed how they have historically found
lesser known carols such as “Joseph, Dear Oh Joseph Mine,” “Pat A Pan” and “Los
Peces En El Rio” and given them new life. However, the show stealer on this
album is their closing rendition of ‘Jingle Bells” which is almost barely
recognizable as it is performed her as a slow ballad that is simple a perfect
soundtrack for a Christmastime neighborhood Christmas light viewing excursion
as snow quietly falls all around!
Sixpence None The Richer- “The Dawn Of Grace.” When Sixpence
first reunited back in 2008 it was for the purpose of making this Christmas
album that each member had always wanted to make. Indeed, it was fantastic as
both originals “The Last Christmas” about the expectation of a new baby in the
family written from the perspective of the Mom-to-be and “Christmas For Two” a
romantic Christmas love song, are absolutely fantastic and must listens this
time of year! Elsewhere the versions of the traditional “Angels We Have Heard
on High” and ‘Silent Night” are simply more glorious because Leigh Nash is
singing them. Lesser-known carols such as “Carol Of The Birds” and “Some
Children See Him” get attention here as well, which is also a treat for the
ears!
Over The Rhine- “Snow Angel” This here is an album of
exclusive Christmas originals from Cincinnati’s finest Over The Rhine. This is
their second Christmas album, as their first one “The Darkest Night of The
Year” featured primarily their interpretations of traditional Christmas songs.
“Snow Angel” is much different, and focuses at times on the more melancholic
feeling one can have during the Holiday season, especially if loved ones who
were once a large part of one’s Christmas celebration and have since passed on.
This is evident in songs like the title track, “All I Ever Get For Christmas Is
Blue” and to a lesser extent the more optimistic toned “We’re Gonna Pull
Through.” However, there is plenty of joy to be had as well in songs like
“White Horse,” “Snowed In With You” and “Darling (Christmas Is Coming)”
That’s a sampling of five of my favorite Christmas albums.
However, here are several others I recommend:
Phil Wickham- Songs For Christmas
Amy Grant- A Christmas Album
Shane & Shane- Glory In The Highest
Chris Tomlin & Friends- Glory In The Highest: Christmas
Songs of Worship
Bruce Cockburn- Christmas
David Crowder Band- Oh For Joy
Happy Christmas (A Tooth & Nail Records Christmas
Compilation!)
Phil Keaggy- Welcome Inn
Sufjan Stevens- Songs For Christmas EP’s
Vince Guaraldi- A Charlie Brown Christmas
Until next time,
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